On the Edge of Faith
by Still Bullet
Summary: There was always that one thought she tried to ignore about how she could always fall and end her life all but in a few seconds. She just wished she didn't have to see what would happen if someone did. One-Shot


_Well...so much for me being back. I appologize, guys, I really did think that I would have had a lot more time than I do that I could dedicate to my Internet life, but alas, I didn't, and it looks like I won't for a while. Wish I could go into detail for this, but it could be basically be summed up with "Life is annoying". Real sorry for my absence. But hey, I'm working on two stories! Here's one of them! I really love how this came out--it's very rich and at 5,100 words; WAY longer than I had expected. _

**_Based on: Mirror's Edge (EA/DICE)  
Rating: I'd leave it at K+ for blood and some violence. Nothing major at all, though.  
Author's Notes: I have a feeling that I'm going to get a lot of new readers for this story, since I don't think my usual Half-Life group have played Mirror's Edge, but hey, I like new people! Hello new people! Mirror's Edge was an interesting game, although I found the absence of backstory and the short length to be a dissapointment. Not worth the full price, but definetly worth renting! Anyway, this idea slipped into my mind after many, many, MANY times of dying. I loved how it came out, and I hope you do too!  
Oh yeah, since I still and forever will suck at titles, I based this one on a song title of a remix of the Mirror's Edge theme song._**

**_--_**

"Hey Faith."

The young adult took a moment to push back her dark, short hair as the wind blew it before her eyes. It was during these kinds of times when she wondered why she didn't wear her hair back in a pony tail, or perhaps even a bun like her sister. She immediately countered that question with the simple answer of the fact that she didn't like the way it felt to her. It felt like…her freedom, her sense of speed, the feeling of her stomach lifting whenever she took a risk she wasn't sure was the perfect thing to do, were all held back behind a small piece of string.

"…Faith?"

Although, the wind was her main constant reminder of the life she chose. But any man in her situation would have chosen it, too. What is the best way to spend the minutes of your life: cooped up in an office listening to complaints from fellow co-workers and clients, or having a life on the edge, where you put your life on the line in every step you take?

"Faith, are you there, or what?"

She sighed as the deep voice that echoed into a single eardrum had called her name yet again. She gently placed two fingers on the side of her ear, pushing the tiny intercom closer so that she was able to hear over the echoes of the city life.

"Hey Merc," she replied rather casually, her eyes focused on the sight of the tallest buildings of the city before her. "You do realize that you're interrupting my 'me' time, right?" She let a slight half-smirk slip up her lips as Mercury replied.

"Very funny there, kiddo, but it's time to get to work." Faith slightly tilted her head as her eyes had already begun to scan the area for the closest unofficial exit off of the rooftop she was currently on.

"Yeah?" she simply replied, after Merc had left her with silence.

"Alright, I tried asking Celeste, but she's already off on a run. Anyway, Drake told me that he lost contact with one of his Runners. 'Says he was off on a run and didn't respond when he tried to check in."

"Blues?" Faith quickly questioned.

"Nah, Drake said that the wires were quiet. The Blues aren't exactly that sneaky. Where're you right now, anyway?"

"Midtown."

"Good thing I called you, then. Drake says the guy was sent off for a run over by Café Solace. The last time he checked in, he was about a mile away from it. He's lost the signal from the intercom since. Go ahead and see if you can run a loop around the place; try to spot the guy."

"I'm on it."

Faith arose from her squat overlooking the rest of the city from the edge of the rooftop. That kind of risk didn't bother her, being right on the edge of a roof. When you make a living jumping from one skyscraper to another, you don't exactly mind the heights.

A quick turn of her head and she had already spotted her way down. The café was only about two miles away from her position—getting there would only take about fifteen minutes, thanks to the shortcuts that the rooftops provided.

She took a quick look at the vista before leaving the rooftop. Bright sunlight reflected against the many glass walls of each skyscraper. Faith shook her head as she watched the city's inhabitants casually walk down the sidewalks, cars slowly cruising down the streets. They didn't know what kind of life they had thrown behind them. They didn't know what a beautiful life it was to live on the razor's edge constantly, where one misstep could lead you falling towards the depths. But that's what made it all worth it.

Faith's muscles soon tightened as her soles began to softly drum on the concrete roof. She had her dark eyes set on her way out of here—a thin pipe, connected to a wall of a nearby building. There was a large gap between the roof and it, but she could make it. She never exactly understood why people left random heaps of wood or boxes on the roofs, but it always provided excellent jumping points. Drumming beats followed her footsteps as they crashed with the random planks of wood that hung over the edge of the white roof. With a quick thrust from her legs, she took off, her arms reaching ahead of her. She felt her chest slam into the pipe, her gloved hand quickly wrapping itself around it. She swung the rest of her body onto the pipe, slapping her other hand around it and pressed her legs tightly against it.

There was a small AC unit to the left of her, although it was rather far down from where she currently was clinging herself to. Ahead of it was a ventilation shaft, snaking its way around the corner of the building. A rooftop was in jumping reach near it, and at a height that wouldn't break her legs if she did try to go for it. Faith took a quick scan of the rooftop to see if it would be a good path to take. Behind a barbwire fence was a zip line, leading down toward a large cluster of boxes covered with a tarp that looked like it would make a perfect soft landing. Faith wasn't too found of traveling on the streets, but it seemed like the only way, for now.

Screeches slipped past her ears as she slightly loosened her grip on the pipe. It resulted in her sliding down, but slowly enough that she could still make a sudden stop should she have to. Faith paused her slide for a moment, turning her head to see where exactly on the pipe she was now. The AC unit was a couple feet below her, which was fine enough for her to jump to. She let her grip go from the pipe and kicked herself from the wall, as a little boost to help her reach the AC unit. She landed without problems, feeling a little pressure in her ankles as she collided with the improvised floor. The landing forced a little air out from her lungs, creating a slight grunt as it reached through her vocal chords.

Trying to keep the pace, Faith then ran across the ventilation shaft connected to the AC unit. Her breaths came in faster and deeper intervals as her body demanded more oxygen. Faith leapt from the shaft and onto a nearby rooftop, quickly performing a summersault to prevent her legs from being damaged. She easily jumped back to her feet, looking around for her next route. There were more than enough AC units around here, and that was just enough to get her over that fence. Faith backed up a bit, taking a deep breath before charging toward one of the AC's. She jumped onto the side of it, her feet trying to push herself up the vertical floor, as she managed to slap her hand onto the top of the unit. She swung the rest of her body upwards, and then spun around towards the fence. With a jump, she easily reached the other side.

Faith kept her pace steady as she grabbed the zip line. The sound of the friction against the rope echoed softly in her ears, which was soon followed by a crash as she released her grip from the zip line and pounded against the soft landing the boxes provided.

"Nice work, Faith, you're making good time," Merc suddenly stated. "Drake says this particular Runner likes to stick to the alleys whenever he hits the streets, so try poking your head in some." Faith left Merc without a response, but the sounds of her breaths as she continued her run were good enough for him.

"So who is this guy, anyway?" Faith asked between breaths.

"Drake says he goes by the name of Adam, or something like that. He was hired about two years ago. I don't know much about the guy—Drake trained him, but he said that he was pretty good. He says that this Adam guy knows how to take care of himself, but Drake's fearing for the worst right now, if you know what I'm saying."

"Don't worry, Merc, I'm on it," Faith replied, as a way to console him. Merc probably wasn't that nervous, either, but loosing contact with a Runner could end in results that might possibly wind up compromising the entire team.

"You're about a mile away from the café already," Merc added. "Try and get yourself on a rooftop and see if you spot anything." That wasn't so much a problem for Faith. Any Runner knew that their place was on the rooftops, not the streets. Faith caught sight of a short rooftop a few yards away from her. A couple of conveniently placed boxes provided an excellent jump to some scaffolding ahead of it. A wall run and jump and she should be able to make it to the top.

Faith did exactly as she had planned out in her mind—jumped onto the boxes, which sent her flying towards the scaffolding, landing with a soft bang. Without stopping, she scurried up a piece of metal next to her, then turned herself around and kicked off the wall. She grabbed the ledge of the rooftop, and easily pulled herself up.

She didn't know how this particular Runner looked, but she knew how she would be able to find him—red. All Runners wore it, even if it were just a little bit of it. Faith did a three-sixty degree scan of the area surrounding her as she stood there, like a beacon to lost souls.

"I…don't think I see anything," Faith soon thought aloud. Her eyes squinted as an attempt to catch more details.

"Well, keep lookin', anyway," Merc simply replied. Faith nodded to herself.

"Alright, I'm gonna try a different rooftop and see if—wait." Faith cut herself short as she thought she saw something. It was faint, small, but she was certain she knew what it was.

Red. There was a small spot of red in an alleyway ahead of the scaffolding.

Faith felt relieved for a moment as she realized that the red was in the shape of a human figure, but she soon pushed back her positive emotions as tension flowed through her muscles. She winced quietly, as she realized that the figure lay unanimated on the ground.

_Oh god_. The sight left her with a gaping mouth as thoughts began to swim through her brain. _Oh god, please tell me no_.

Faith leapt off from the roof, her feet patting hard against a small stone wall next to her. She jumped off from there and onto the ground, keeping her eyes concentrated on the small spot of red. Energy pumped through her veins as she shot herself into a sprint, her hair being pushed back by the wind. The longer she ran, the closer the figure appeared, and the more nervous she began to feel. Finally, she had arrived next to the figure. A quick moment and she had already controlled her breathing, but her mouth took in a large amount of oxygen anyway. Not because her body was in need of it, however. It was a reaction. A reaction to what laid before her.

The Runner was dead.

She was certain that it was a Runner—muscles carved fine details around the body's arms, which were visible due to the Runner's sleeveless white shirt. His hair was blonde, rough, and rose into small spikes. The Runner's pants must have been how Faith noticed him, for they were red. By the looks of its design, it seemed like the type of pants that had detachable segments incase the wearer chose to wear it like shorts instead. A black sweatband was wrapped around the Runner's left wrist, with tattoos similar to what most Runners had reaching up his forearm. The Runner's head was facing towards the ground, although part of the side of his head was still visible. Faith gingerly moved it over using her foot. She took a good look at the Runner's face, although it sickened her to do so. It was bloodstained, scarlet droplets clinging to his goatee and beard stubble. His eyelids were closed, though Faith couldn't stand looking into his lifeless eyes anyhow. The Runner's mouth was also slightly open, with a thin blood trail leaking out through his teeth.

The Runner lay on his back, although his limbs were thrown towards the side. It hinted to Faith that perhaps he had fallen from the rooftops above, landed on his back, and tried to get up, only to find himself unsuccessful. A cold tingle scratched at her spine. It was horrible to think about, really. She always tried to ignore this danger. She always thought that knowing that you were on the brink of death added the excitement to her life. But there was always that one part of her mind, that one thought that she always tried to leave in the back of her head…that thought about how she could fall. She could fall and end her life, all in but a few seconds. And then what? Would she wonder for the rest of her afterlife whether or not she had made the right decision? Would she be doomed to walk the floors of hell knowing that she could have chosen the simple life, the easy life, the life that would still have her walking the grounds of the Earth?

"What's going on, Faith?" Merc had finally asked. The sudden intrusion of her thoughts made Faith snap to attention, a thought of a possible threat shooting past her mind, before she recalled what had just happened back in reality.

"I found him, Merc," Faith replied. She didn't want to sound sympathetic. She didn't want to sound upset. But she couldn't help it. She just couldn't. The ghostly silence clung to her throat, until she finally forced out the words she wished she didn't have to say.

"…he's dead."

Mutters of curses and other unrecognizable words surfed through the radio waves. Mercury cursed before he responded with, "God damn it…how? Did the Blues get him?" He tried to hide it, but Faith knew better—he had a feeling that it wasn't the Blues.

"Wish I could answer with a 'yes' to that, Merc, but I can't. Looks like this guy lost his wings at the wrong time." Faith kept her attention on the corpse next to her as she heard continuous sighs, murmurs, and other frustrations from her boss. She couldn't blame him. A loss of a Runner was like a stab to the heart, and one more step to conforming to the city's control. Faith slowly dragged her feet around the alleyway. She looked up, noticing that the nearest rooftop was many undeterminable stories above her. She couldn't figure out what the Runner was trying to do—there was nothing near here that he could have possibly jumped to. Slipped off the edge? That was about the only excuse she could think of.

"Hey Merc?" Faith had asked, noticing the man had grown quiet. "How long ago did Drake try to contact this guy?"

"Gotta be a couple of hours ago, at the least," Merc replied. A small ounce of frustration and other mixed emotions still slipped into his voice. "I contacted you as soon as he told me about this."

"So he died just recently, then," Faith replied. She spun around to look at the corpse again, and the pool of blood that encircled him. Her dark irises scanned the concrete around her, trying to find any hint of what could have possibly caused the Runner's demise. Maybe he just made a mistake. Mistakes happen. Sucks when you make one as a Runner, but they happen.

Faith's eyes switched to a certain spot as something seemed to catch her attention through her peripheral vision, for a moment. It was small, round, and that was enough to have Faith immediately recognize what it was.

"Found the 'com," she suddenly stated, as she picked up the small device. "But it's busted as hell." She ended that statement with a grunt. Faith assumed that it must have escaped the Runner's ear as he plummeted down to the concrete where she stood now. The device was cracked and half of it appeared to be broken off. Definitely more than enough to make Drake lose its signal. Faith could hear a deep sigh escaping from Merc's nostrils once she had given him the report.

"Alright, well, we've gotta get the body out of the way before the Blues see it," he finally let out. "Let me call Celeste or see if Drake's got some Runners in the area that could help y—"

"_Shh_." The sudden command for silence from Faith left Mercury puzzled, but he did as she wished. "Merc, did you hear anything on the wires?" Faith talked in a low whisper. She heard echoes of Merc's mutterings as he replied.

"Damn it, been too busy focusing on this to worry about the Blues. Why?"

"They're coming right this way."

"Well, do I even have to remind you what you should be doing?"

"No, you do not," Faith replied in a mocking tone, as she spun around and began to run back to the way she came. Just as she had done so, however, shouts of anger had encircled her.

"Stop her!" cried one.

"Cut her off!" shouted another.

"_Great_."

Bullets flew past her head, embedding themselves onto the concrete, the scaffolding, anything around Faith, as she tired to escape the scene of the crime. She could hear the Blues shouting commands behind her, all screaming, "Go, go, go!" or "Don't lose her!" or something of the like. Faith already knew what to do when messing with the Blues—run. Run like hell, get back on the rooftops, and far away from them. The Blues never did call any available officers to catch a Runner if they ever saw one, so it was usually just the group that had spotted you, and that was it. They never did catch a Runner anyway, no matter how many magazines or energy they wasted.

"Faith, I'm getting news from the wires—they're trying to cut you off. Get on the roofs and get out _now_." Merc's demands didn't really stress Faith. She always thought that having chases with the Blues were rather…fun. They always missed her when they tried to shoot, and it was nearly impossible for them to catch up to her. The way they reacted whenever she was around, though…it really was funny as hell. There they were, trying to follow her in those heavy armored suits, shooting at her feet and completely missing, and acting like a young child throwing a tantrum whenever they didn't catch her.

Faith cracked a smile to herself at the thought.

Not having time to look around, Faith made a sharp turn to a narrow street to the right of her. She didn't want to stop to look for a way out, as she could still hear the pounding feet of the Blues following her own. She swung her head to the left. Nothing. She swung her head to the right. Yes, there! An AC unit acted as a step up towards a thin pipe, which she could climb up and onto the balcony beside it and break open that window. By the looks of it, it was a business building currently being remolded, which meant an easy elevator ride up to the rooftops for her.

Faith didn't even give it a second thought: she was going that way, no matter how close the Blues were. Without slowing down, Faith leapt onto the AC unit. For a moment, she slipped, and she felt her chest slide off the top of the AC. As a last attempt, Faith tried to run up the side of the AC unit, and managed to pull herself up. Without looking back, Faith began to climb up the thin pipe. The sound of angered shouts and drumming beats of charging footsteps became louder and louder. Yet, Faith refused to have any fear leak into her mind. She made a living on the streets for five years. Why should she be scared of the Blues?

Faith winced as hot lead barely hit her ear, slamming itself onto the metal wall of the building right beside her. More and more bullets screamed for her life as Faith heard them whiz past her. Finally, she made it to the balcony, and with quick timing she slipped off the pipe, onto the balcony, and shattered the glass with a single strong kick. Again, not looking back, Faith ran through the office complex.

Building supplies and tools littered the floor, causing Faith to nearly lose her balance. Her eyes managed to catch sight of a sign that pointed to the elevator, which was to the left of her. A sharp turn and a few stomps later, she had reached it. Faith pounded the button of the elevator with her fist, and she could soon hear it begin to rise to her position. The sound of the Blues wasn't too far off, either. Finally, the elevator had arrived, opening its doors with a _DING_!

Faith ran inside and slammed the Up button, leaning over to catch her breath as the elevator began its voyage.

"Don't relax just yet, kiddo, they're still behind ya," Mercury mentioned. Faith managed to let a little grunt of amusement slip past her strong breaths.

"Figured," she said, with the little air she had recollected within her lungs. "They never like to go down easy."

"And neither do we."

Bright lights corrupted Faith's vision for a moment once the elevator had opened its doors to display the roof. She squinted, pain shooting through her eyes as the sunlight bleached her pupils. She waited until they had adjusted, and then ran out onto the roof. The drumming of her pounding feet started up again, but the rhythm was soon cut short as Faith skidded to a stop.

"You've got to be _kidding _me!"

Blues stood before her, their guns all aimed straight for her face. A helicopter seemed to be making a voyage away from their current position, which made Faith automatically assume that the Blues had been dropped off by the bird.

"Don't run and we won't shoot," one of them finally said, before Faith could run, before she could turn back. It was a simple command from somebody who thought that they could control _her_, of all people. The thought sent both anger and amusement through Faith's mind. "By order of Mayor Callaghan, you are under arrest."

_My ass_.

Faith didn't give herself time to make a plan. It always stopped with the simple thought of, "Run, hope you find a way out," and she fleshed it out as she went along with it. Having the thought of hot lead steaming in your back wasn't exactly an invitation to stay and hang around. She left the Blues without a verbal response, but spinning around on her heels and high-tailing it out of there was just enough for them. They had to be expecting that. Really, what made them think that she'd go down so fast, so easily like that, just by a few words? And yet, she thought she heard grunts of frustration from behind her.

"Get the hell out of there now, Faith," Mercury nearly screamed into the microphone. He knew he didn't have to worry about one of his girls, but thoughts of horrible consequences swirled through his veins. That kind of thing usually happens a lot, Faith realized. Even if you know for sure that you'll make it out.

Pieces of the floor splashed underneath her as she found herself zigzagging and skipping a few steps as a way of avoiding the bullets that tried to grab for her flesh and bone. Almost out of here, come on. She could already see the path in front of her. There was a rooftop that looked like she might have to grab the edges of in order to reach, but she could still make it. All she had to do was jump over there, grab the side of the building and pull herself up, lose the Blues and—

"_AGH_!"

A fierce pain pinned itself to her shoulder, sending red mist that drifted onto her face, its presence bringing both warmth and a painful cold. The warm liquid dripped down her shoulder, staining her skin with a color that made her tense by the sight of it. Faith stumbled a few steps, losing her balance for a moment and causing her to nearly trip. She wrapped the hand of her good arm around the fresh wound, trying to place pressure against it and stop the blood that slipped onto her fingers. Great, now what could she do? She couldn't make that jump anymore, not when she was wounded and bleeding like this. She can't pull herself up with one arm, and besides, her muscles were torn apart by hot lead. Her eyes immediately began to scan for a new exit, somewhere that she could possibly go. But there was no way, no place, no_where_ she could possibly run to. It was either here or jump down to the streets below. Have her corpse join the other Runner's.

She could hear the shouts getting closer and closer, her heart drumming along with the footsteps that followed her. She was running slowly, now. Slower than she had hoped. The only way off of this roof would be to just take the elevator back down. But she wasn't sure if she could possibly even _make it there _without getting shot down. A wound could heal, but death was irreversible. As if she had to remind herself.

Her feet stomped off-beat as she charged for the elevator, hoping that the Blues weren't too close behind. She could hear them shouting commands at each other, yelling their frustrations at the Runner, but she ignored it. The blood continued to escape from her shoulder, pain continuing to swirl within her veins. She clamped her teeth together as the pain surged.

Finally, that elevator was in sight. It was directly ahead of where she currently stood, just a few more steps—

Oh god. Not again.

The elevator doors opened, bringing a sight of horror to the gasping young woman. Damn it, not again—Blues busted out from the small room, escaping as though they were tiny caged creatures who were finally set free. Faith watched as their heavy footsteps patted against the roof, their guns aimed right at her.

She turned around. There had to be a way out, some way. She wondered why Mercury hadn't said anything during this time of peril. Maybe he did. Maybe she just couldn't hear him. Maybe all the pain, all the danger, the thought that should could possibly die, had begun to corrupt her mind.

_No_.

The other troop of Blues had approached her from the direction she had originally come from. She spun her head around back towards the direction of the elevator. Those Blues were closing in on her, and fast. Great. She was stuck.

Faith began to back up as the danger became greater with every step that the Blues took. They approached her like hungry animals, all wanting the same piece of meat, outstretched claws tapping against the floor. Faith thought she felt herself beginning to sweat. She suddenly let out a yelp as she felt her body swing backward, feeling the wind brush against her back. Her head quickly turned around to face the danger, and she could feel her muscles become tense as she realized she was on the edge of the roof, slowly tipping off, invisible hands grabbing her ankles and pulling her down. Faith began to scream as her feet lost traction with the roof, letting herself go into a freefall. As a last attempt, she swung her arm for the edge of the roof. Relief swept across her face as she felt something solid slip under her hand. She hung there, the muscles of her good arm screaming as the stress overloaded them with demands to hold on, hold on and don't let go. Faith looked up to the blinding sky, expecting to see somebody, _anybody_ come over and lend a hand.

But the only thing that she saw was the cold, darkening gray of the Blues' suits.

She saw one of them lean over the roof as though he had expected her to have fallen to her death by now. But she still hung on, her body still screaming with pain. The cold eyes looked directly into hers, and for a moment she felt as though she had been stabbed through a heart with a knife made from pure ice.

The tension returned to her heart as she began to feel her fingers lose contact with the ground. Slowly, painfully slowly, Faith watched in terror as her fingers began to slip off the roof.

And that Blue just simply stood there.

He looked as though he were confused, unsure of what he should do. Faith knew stories about how superheroes had always tried to save their worst nemesis whenever they clung to the edge like this. She never really understood why. One part of her mind just hoped, hoped that perhaps maybe, just maybe, the Blues would have the heart to save her. But her hands had received the feeling of emptiness, as they finally slipped off the roof, and the wind surrounded her body as though she were perhaps flying. But she knew better.

People make mistakes. Sucks when you make one as a Runner, but they happen. Faith closed her eyes as she anticipated the pain that she knew would instantly end her life. She felt as though she had just lost control of her body—the pain was so great that she couldn't even feel the air around her, her muscles relaxing, the sight of the alleyways of the city…

Somehow, just somehow, she was able to raise her arm with the little energy it still had. The rest of her body was drained, her vision fading along with it. She reached out her hand, her fingers twitching as though they were asking for someone, anyone, to grab her hand and help her up. But she knew better.

Her limp body easily welcomed death, numbing her pain and removing her thoughts from the world.

--

_So, how was it? For such a long absence, I'm very glad to have released a story like this--much, much better than my last release. I always wondered what would happen if one of the Runners tripped and fell, like the many, many times I had through out the game. And shot down. That was one of the ways I wanted to kill Faith--after being shot down so many times, and watching my killers step back as I fell to the floor, this idea sparked into my head. But then I thought that hey, it would be interesting if Faith made a mistake and slipped, too. So, I threw in both. Hope it wasn't too much of an overdo, or anything like that._

_Thank you very much for reading, and please let me know what you think, since I might write for this game again! _

_If any of my fans are reading this, I just want to let you guys know that, sorry, I won't be on as often as I promised. I know, it sucks! I'll try really, really hard to read stories and review them--I've got too many good ones on alert to leave alone! (That includes authors, too)._


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